Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 120

After finishing up with the cleanup, Yoonhwa gazed at Tori, lost in her thoughts.

She recalled that Tori was no ordinary squirrel; he could talk and change into a human form.

With a gaze full of curiosity, she approached Tori and cautiously asked, “Tori, you’re not just a regular squirrel, are you?”

“How can you talk and transform into a person?”

Tori tilted his head for a moment in response to Yoonhwa’s question and then shrugged his tiny shoulders as he replied, “Well, that’s because I’m a special squirrel!”

His gaze was filled with mischief, as if he was enjoying Yoonhwa’s curiosity.

“Well, you see, the guardian deity has cast a special magic on me!”

“So I can talk and— I can also transform into a person!”

Yoonhwa’s eyes widened, showing deep interest in Tori’s words.

“Then can you use magic too?”

Tori tilted his head and burst into laughter.

“Of course! But right now…”

“Well, grandfather taught me how to…,”

“I’m not great at it yet. It’s not easy…!!!”

Hearing that, Yoonhwa chuckled, feeling even more affection for Tori’s honesty and cuteness.

“But you’re already amazing.”

“You can talk and transform!”

Grandfather, listening in on their conversation, smiled warmly and added, “Tori can’t handle magic just yet…”

“But Tori’s pure heart and passion is already a great kind of magic.”

After hearing about Tori’s special abilities, Yoonhwa’s eyes filled with excitement, and she carefully asked, “Tori, can you transform into a human again right now?”

Tori hesitated at Yoonhwa’s anticipation, shaking his head and bouncing slightly as he replied, “No… not right now!”

A look of disappointment crossed Yoonhwa’s face.

She asked Tori again, “Why not? Is there some kind of problem?”

Tori paused for a moment, pondering, and then said, almost as an excuse, “Just… I can’t.”

“Uhm… I have to tend to the flowers right now…!”

And with that, he dashed off quickly without another word, his small figure practically fleeing.

Yoonhwa considered his words for a moment. She remembered the time Tori had been scared of her and had transformed in surprise.

Recalling that incident, she felt intrigued at the thought of seeing Tori transform again.

Grandfather watched the playful situation between Yoonhwa and Tori with a satisfied smile.

His eyes sparkled with joy, and he gently swayed the cane he held, watching the two.

“Ah, this looks like it’ll be quite interesting…” Grandfather muttered to himself.

Yoonhwa began devising a plan to surprise Tori.

After a moment of contemplation, she quietly approached Tori’s location.

Tori was diligently tending to the flowers in a corner of the garden, meticulously plucking away withered leaves.

His tiny hands showed affection and focus as he attended to each blossom without taking a break.

Yoonhwa quietly crept up behind him, waiting for the moment he was completely absorbed.

Taking a deep breath, she suddenly called out, “Tori!!!”

Tori startled at the unexpectedly loud sound, but then a playful smile spread across his tiny face.

“Oh, a fox! I already knew you were coming!!”

“I have excellent hearing!”

His voice was filled with confidence, but there was also a hint of annoyance at Yoonhwa’s prank.

“Transformation is totally off-limits!”

Tori waved his hands angrily at Yoonhwa and stomped towards the room in the traditional house.

He burst into the room, slamming the door firmly behind him to clearly express his boundaries.

The sound of the door slamming echoed through the garden.

Yoonhwa paused momentarily, taken aback by Tori’s reaction.

Seeing Tori slam the door in annoyance made her feel a bit flustered.

“That transformation was super cute…”

Yoonhwa mumbled to herself as she approached Grandfather.

As Yoonhwa drew near, Grandfather noticed her troubled expression and spoke with a warm smile.

“It seems like Tori is a little grumpy, haha.”

“I… I really want to see Tori transform into a human again…”

“But I tried to surprise him, and he got angry and went into the room.”

Grandfather nodded, as if he understood, and said, “How about trying again?”

“The doors in this house can’t be locked.”

Yoonhwa’s eyes sparkled as she realized the deeper meaning in Grandfather’s words.

“Okay!”

Inspired by Grandfather’s advice, she carefully made her way toward the room where Tori had gone.

The door was closed, but just as Grandfather said, it couldn’t be locked.

She gently opened the door and stepped inside.

At the sound of the door quietly opening, Tori turned around, startled.

He exhaled a sigh of relief upon seeing Yoonhwa but his guard was up again at her next words.

“Tori, if you don’t transform, I’ll eat you!”

Yoonhwa’s voice was playful and light, but there was anticipation hidden in her gaze.

Tori paused at Yoonhwa’s playful threat, studying her expression.

It seemed her demeanor, straddling the line between playfulness and seriousness, genuinely frightened him, making his small body tremble with tension.

After reading the anticipation concealed in her eyes, Tori finally let out a resigned sigh and decided to transform.

“Seriously, this is unfair…!”

As Tori muttered his complaint, a glow began to gather around him.

The light grew brighter, enveloping Tori and transforming his shape in the blink of an eye.

Once the transformation finished, Tori had changed from a small squirrel to a little boy.

With brown hair and suspenders, he looked just like an adorable child that reminded one of a squirrel.

Having completed his transformation, Tori glanced at Yoonhwa with a hint of mixed feelings.

“See, I did it. Are you satisfied??”

Yoonhwa’s eyes sparkled with surprise and joy.

Seeing Tori in his child form, she couldn’t contain her admiration.

Tori looked so cute that she instinctively moved closer to hug him.

“Wow, you’re seriously adorable!”

However, Tori quickly stepped back to avoid her reach.

His face clearly showed a mix of confusion and annoyance.

He swiftly dodged Yoonhwa’s advancing hand and shot out of the room, immediately seeking the safety of Grandfather’s arms.

“Grandfather! That fox— she’s too much!”

“Please chase her away..!!”

Tori’s voice pleaded with a mix of dissatisfaction and mild anger.

Grandfather, understanding Tori’s discomfort while enjoying the comical aspect of the situation, burst into a gentle chuckle.

“Too much? What could our fox have done to scare you so much?”

While tenderly holding Tori, he gently patted his head.

From Grandfather’s embrace, Tori seemed to calm down a bit but still wore an expression full of discontent toward Yoonhwa.

Yoonhwa stood briefly hesitating at the doorway where Tori had dashed out.

After a moment’s pause, she finally approached where Grandfather and Tori were located.

Still held in Grandfather’s arms, Tori had transformed back into his squirrel form, glaring forlornly at Yoonhwa.

His tiny eyes were filled with dissatisfaction and disappointment.

“Tori, I’m sorry… Were you that scared?”

Yoonhwa spoke gently, her eyes conveying genuine remorse and concern.

Tori didn’t respond to Yoonhwa’s apology.

Instead, he buried his head deep into Grandfather’s embrace as if trying to hide.

His little body still trembled, desperately gripping onto Grandfather’s clothing.

Grandfather understood Tori’s state and warmly held him close.

His gaze briefly rested on Yoonhwa before he cautiously reached into his pocket.

Grandfather rummaged through his pocket for something and, after a moment, pulled out a handful of peanuts.

With a smile, he looked at Yoonhwa and handed her the peanuts.

Receiving the peanuts held in Grandfather’s hand, Yoonhwa briefly glanced at him.

In Grandfather’s smile, she could read the message he was trying to convey.

Taking a deep breath, Yoonhwa resolved to approach Tori.

Carefully adjusting her position, she crouched down to Tori’s eye level.

As Yoonhwa’s nine tails brushed against the ground, she paid no mind to the sand and dirt.

All her attention was solely focused on Tori.

Tori remained curled up in Grandfather’s arms.

Yoonhwa’s eyes were filled with remorse and an apologetic intent.

Slowly, she reached out and gently stroked Tori’s head.

Her touch conveyed heartfelt apology and soothing comfort.

At first, Tori was wary of Yoonhwa’s approach, but gradually her gentle caress began to ease his tension.

When Yoonhwa carefully placed a peanut in his hand, Tori’s nose twitched a bit.

His small eyes sparkled with curiosity, gradually drawn to Yoonhwa as the aroma of the peanut wafted toward him.

As Tori’s little eyes fixed on the peanut Yoonhwa offered, his expression brimmed with curiosity and anticipation.

The familiar scent of the peanut stimulated his nose, making his eyes shine brighter.

“This… is a- peanut!”

Tori’s voice was tinged with surprise and delight, his face breaking into a smile.

Carefully rising from Grandfather’s arms, he accepted the peanut placed in Yoonhwa’s outstretched hand.

“Where did you get this?!”

“Thank you–!!”

His tiny fingers explored the peanut as if he had stumbled upon treasure, and he began to munch on it happily.

As he chewed, his cheeks puffed out, and the crackling sounds complemented the peaceful atmosphere of the traditional house.

Tori’s happy expression and enjoyment of the peanut could make anyone smile.

“Are you feeling better now…?”

Yoonhwa asked cautiously as she observed Tori relishing his snack.

Her voice carried a mix of apology and a hopeful desire for reconciliation.

Tori took a big bite of the peanut, his eyes shining as he nodded.

His actions clearly indicated that he was no longer upset.

Grandfather observed the scene with a content smile.

As Tori munched away happily, all tension seemed to dissolve, prompting Yoonhwa to approach Grandfather and ask carefully.

“Grandfather, why does Tori dislike transforming into a human?”

Grandfather was about to respond when Tori spoke up first.

His hand, clutching the peanut, halted momentarily as a shadow of past memories flickered across his eyes.

“Humans… they bullied me…”

Tori’s voice was quiet, and his gestures trembled slightly as he spoke.

“They caught me and… threw me around…”

He paused, closing his mouth, and took a deep breath.

“But the guardian deity saved me…!”

“So that’s why I’m still alive!”

Yoonhwa looked at Tori in shock at his words.

A glimmer of sympathy passed through her eyes.

“So I only transform when it’s necessary…”

“Because I dislike humans…”

Yoonhwa felt her heart ache at Tori’s painful story.

“Tori, I’m really sorry… I didn’t know you went through that…”

Yoonhwa’s voice was filled with genuine remorse.

Tori laughed at Yoonhwa’s apology, brushing off her worries lightly.

“It’s okay, you gave me peanuts!”

His voice was light and playful, laced with a hint of a joke.

Grandfather, witnessing the warm exchange between them, spoke up cautiously.

“Now that we’re going to live here…”

“We should at least take a bath sometime.”